Katuray - Queen of Asian Flower Vegetables

PUL-OY (Breeze)

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur, Philippines to the World Series

Katuray - Queen of Asian Flower Vegetables

Living with Nature Center

Dr Abe V Rotor

Katuray in Pilipino and Ilocano is scientifically called Sesbania grandiflora. "Grand flowers" indeed, immaculate white and shy, glisten in the sun.  Then as the day wears off, shrivel and fall to the ground, leaving clusters of blossom to open the next day, so in the next,  in succession through the amihan season until summer. Pods dangle like chime in place of the flowers. Angie Tobias 18, picks katuray flowers from the tree at the Living with Nature Center, author's residence at San Vicente, Ilocos Sur.  Photos taken by the author.

Flowers - in any stage, crescent to fully opened - are picked by hand or with bamboo pole, as often as daily during the flowering season. Young succulent pods, and in other countries young leaves, are also gathered as vegetables cooked into salad, diningding, for stew and broth- perfect with broiled fish, thickened in buridibud (kamote or sweet potato paste).  It's a typical dish of Asians, specialty Ilocanos. Move over culinary greats of the Western world. Author with newly harvested unopened katuray blossoms ready to be cooked into salad, cum fresh red tomato, a dash of salt or patis, with option to include sliced shallot or sibuyas tagalog.  Try this perfect side dish for lunch and dinner. 

Is Sesbania grandiflora, as grand as its name when it comes to its nutritional value? Why not?  Take a quick look at this approximate analysis per 100 grams, based on young leaves. Likely not far from flowers (author's note). 

• Calories: Around 62 kcal
• Protein: Approximately 7.7 g
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 11.5 g
• Dietary Fiber: About 3.3 g
• Fat: Around 0.5 g
• Vitamin C: Approximately 38 mg (about 63% of the recommended daily intake)
• Vitamin A: Roughly 1130 IU (around 22.5% of the recommended daily intake)
• Calcium: Approximately 130 mg
• Iron: Around 1.2 mg

A glimpse on this set of data assures confidence on the Health Benefits of Sesbania Grandiflora, as food and natural medicine owing to these properties: Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-Helminthic, Anticoagulant,  Hypotensive, and others, and if I may add - Anti-Aging and Relax-Promoting. 

Author's:  A variant of Sesbania grandiflora produces shades of pink and purple colors. It  produce flowers year round, particularly in the rainy months when the white variety is virtually flowerless. Local folks say colored flowers are more nutritious, likely because of xanthophyll and carotene pigments.  Plant katuray on your backyard, and open areas as long as the soil is loamy, relatively fertile, and safe from flood.  Stick a branch into the ground and make it grow into a tree. Include katuray among the plants in the Bahay Kubo garden. ~

Acknowledgement: Data from Internet.~